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Tom Konow
Our friend and fellow team member of the Danish apnea team, drowned thursday 18.02.99 during dynamic apnea training.
This tragic incident happened in less than 1.5 m (5 feet) water depth in a 50 m pool, and subsequent CPR was unsuccessful.
This day was special for the whole team as it was the first time we were all together training as a full five man team.
I would like to stress that everybody was aware of the risk involved in this sport , and that we had an established safety routine
everybody was informed about. The team has more than 50 years combined diving experience in commercial, military, technical, apnea,
including 3 instructors. This accident was not due to ignorance or poor risk assessment. The message here
is: it is very dangerous!
Everybody involved in this sport, and diving in general owe it to themselves, their families, buddies and the likes of Tom,
to do their utmost to prevent future accidents. This involves a good knowledge of one's own limits, constant monitoring of participants
and a knowing that blackouts are part of the training, and not something that isn't going to happen.
We have had blackouts before, so we knew that it was to be considered as part of the training.
As you read this you might think, well this will not happen to me, I hope it never will.
But please devote just 5 minutes to think about this, so that Tom's death will have some sort of meaning.
This has affected me more than I can possibly comprehend at the moment, my thoughts are with Tom's family who, despite their
obvious sorrow, have helped us get through these first nights.
To Tom : "we will all dive together again"
From Jack,Carsten,Christian and Lars.
